The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2002 murder case of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati. The court, however, upheld the life imprisonment of three other convicts – Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal.
High Court Acquits Ram Rahim in 2002 Journalist Murder Case
Chandigarh: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim has received a major relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the murder case of Sirsa journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati. The High Court has acquitted him in this case. However, the court has upheld the life imprisonment sentences of three other accused, Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, and Krishan Lal. Earlier, a special CBI court in Panchkula had convicted all four accused in this case and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
This case dates back to 2002, when journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati was shot dead in Sirsa, Haryana. On October 24, 2002, he was shot by unknown assailants outside his home. He was hospitalized with serious injuries but died on November 21, 2002.
It is reported that in August 2002, an anonymous letter surfaced, making serious allegations of sexual exploitation and rape against women associated with Dera Sacha Sauda. Ramchandra Chhatrapati published this letter in his newspaper, sparking a heated debate. He was murdered shortly thereafter.
In 2003, Chhatrapati's son, Anshul Chhatrapati, filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking an impartial investigation. Following this, the High Court handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Following the High Court's order, the CBI registered an FIR in November 2003 and began the investigation.
In 2004, Dera Sacha Sauda filed a petition in the Supreme Court to stop the investigation, but the Supreme Court rejected it. The case was subsequently heard in the special CBI court in Panchkula for nearly 16 years.
The CBI filed a charge sheet in this case during 2018-2019. The special CBI court, considering the case a well-planned conspiracy, convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, and Krishan Lal, sentencing them all to life imprisonment.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim filed an appeal in the High Court in 2019 against the CBI court's verdict. The High Court has now acquitted him in this case. However, Ram Rahim is currently serving a 20-year sentence for raping two sadhvis and is lodged in Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, Haryana.
